Chapter 11 - NO SHORTCUTS
Nathan did not ask Emma what he should do.
That surprised her.
He went outside.
He walked for almost an hour.
When he returned, Emma was feeding Sophie.
Nathan sat across from them.
“The company needs you,” Emma said.
“Maybe.”
“You built it.”
“With thousands of other people.”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
Nathan smiled without humor.
“I’m trying not to make you responsible for the answer.”
Emma looked down at Sophie.
“That’s new.”
“I’m trying.”
Nathan leaned forward.
“I want to go back.”
Emma’s chest tightened.
He continued quickly.
“Not because I miss the title.”
“Because there are people there I care about.”
“Employees.”
“Partners.”
“People who built it with me.”
Emma nodded.
“That makes sense.”
Nathan looked relieved that she understood.
“But?”
He waited.
Emma said it.
“I’m afraid.”
“Of what?”
“That everything becomes exactly what it was.”
Nathan did not promise it wouldn’t.
Instead he asked, “What would you need?”
Emma almost laughed.
“Years.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
“I mean it.”
“So do I.”
She stared at him.
Nathan continued.
“I keep wanting one heroic decision to fix this.”
“Quit the company.”
“Stay in Oregon.”
“Give away everything.”
“Anything dramatic enough that you would have to believe I changed.”
Emma’s eyes filled.
“But that would just be another shortcut.”
“Yes.”
Nathan exhaled.
“I think I need to learn how to be reliable when nobody is watching.”
That sentence stayed with Emma.
The next morning, Nathan booked a flight to Manhattan.
He stood outside the bookstore with one bag.
Emma held Sophie near the window.
“When will you be back?”
Nathan paused.
“I don’t know.”
Emma stiffened.
He smiled faintly.
“I mean I won’t promise a date before I know.”
“Oh.”
“I’ll know after the meeting.”
Emma nodded.
Nathan looked at Sophie.
“Can I?”
Emma handed her over.
Nathan held his daughter for several minutes.
Then kissed her forehead.
He looked at Emma but did not try to kiss her.
“I’ll call tonight.”
“Okay.”
He handed Sophie back.
Then he left.
Emma watched him walk away.
Part of her wanted him to turn around.
He did not.
That hurt.
And strangely, it also helped.
Because Nathan was finally learning that love did not mean clinging to every moment he was given.
That evening, he called exactly when he said he would.
Sophie slept through most of it.
Nathan talked about nothing important.
The hotel.
The flight.
A terrible sandwich.
Then he went quiet.
“Emma?”
“Yes?”
“The board meeting is tomorrow morning.”
“I know.”
“If they ask me to become the old version of myself again…”
He stopped.
Emma waited.
Nathan finished softly.
“I’m going to say no.”
The next morning, Daniel Mercer made the demand even clearer.
Return as CEO.
Full travel schedule.
Immediate crisis management.
No extended leave.
No exceptions.
Nathan stared at the contract.
Then Daniel said the one sentence designed to break him.
May you like
“Choose, Nathan.”
“Your company or Oregon.”
